Family portrait photography tips: what shape should you use?

The holidays are here, and if you’re the “one with a camera” in your family, chances are you’ll be asked to take a few family photos. (Heck, if no one asks, why not offer? It’s great practice and you might even be able to trade photos for model releases so you can sell some on stock websites.)

But grouping people for photos can be tricky. Below are some family portrait photography tips. To make it easier, think in terms of shapes. Specifically: triangles, diamonds, and circles. Take a look…

Diamond:

Triangle:

Double Triangle:

Circle:

Notice, too, that the people in all of these photos are all wearing generic clothing (mostly in pastel tones) with no logos, loud patterns, or words. They’re also nice and brightly lit, with no clutter or distracting elements in the photo.

Give it a try this holiday season when you’ve got the family together and see how shapes transform your group shots.

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